Metal pianoforte action



F. W. WAGGETT.

METAL PIANO FORTE'ACTION.

APPLICATON FILED NOV.29| I919.

1,41 1,820. v atented Apr. 4, 1922.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

I E; Ii i F. W. WAGGETT- METAL PIANOFQRTE ACTION.

1,41 1,820. A PLICATION FILED NOV. 29, 1919- Apr. 4, 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3-kri FREDERICK M. WAGGETT, or renew GATE, ENGLAND.

METAL PIANOFORTE ACTION.

" Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 4., 1922.

Application filed November 29, 1919. Serial No. 341,435.

have invented certain new and useful 1111- provements in MetalPianoforte Actions, of which the following is a specification.

, This invention relates to pianoforte' actions made of metal and bentto shape by press tools, cast or otherwise shaped or formed,'and has forits object to so improve the construction and arran ement of certain ofthe parts of such actions that an increased leverage is provided for theoperation of the hammer-butts by the vjacks, the production of noisewhen the jacks return to their normal position is prevented, thewarping-of wood and other disadvantages of wood actions are eliminated,and the manufacture: of the action is more easy and economical.

The invention will now be described with which 1 Figure 1 is a sideperspective view of the improved form of hammer-butt,

Figure 2 shows in plan aportionof the metal strip or blank from whichthe parts of Figure 1 are formed;

Figure 3 is a side elevationof the i1 n proved combined set-ofi andjack-stop; v

Figure 4 shows in plan a metal strip or blank used in forming the.device shown in Figure 3;

- Figure 5 shows two views of an adjustable cord lug for the set-01f ofFigure 3;

Figure 6 shows two views illustrating the improved bridle-wire andjackgand Figure 7 shows two views of a device for securing a woodenhammershaft to a metal hammer-butt.

Figure 8 is a vertical sectional view,

front view ofthe parts shown portion of which is shown in Figure 2 whichis bent to form a triangular portlon the apex 8 of which forms thereleasing point 9 for the jack. At 10 is shown a piece of the metal cutand bent down to form a sup: port for a piece of felt or other soft material 11 which is inserted in the hole left by the cutting of the piece10 and may be secured to the latter by pinning, tying, sewing orotherwise, forwhich purpose a hole 'or holes may be made in the piece10. As an alternative a. piece of metal may be made to correspond withthe lower side of the triangular portion and be bent to form the frontapex 8 of the same and be attached'to the main hammer section 12 bymeans of rivets or the like. The object of these constructions of thehammer-butt is to position the point 9 where the jack acts upon thehammer-butt at an increased distance from the hinge centre 13 andthereby gain in leverage, and to insert or attach thereto a piece offelt or other soft material to avoid noise when the jack returns to itsnormal pOSltlOIl. reference to the accompany ng drawlngs, 1n 7 Figure 3shows a combined set-off and jack stop one of which is used foreach-note instead of the ordinary set-01f and jack stop, and is attachedto the action-rail by means of one or more screws or otherwise suitably.

'The'strip of metal 1 1 shown in Figure 4 is bent to the shape shown in.Figure 8 the portion being preferably spooned or hollowed such asindicated to prevent friction as it act uates the jack 16 for thepurpose of set ting it off. The eyed screw 17 adjusts the set-off andpasses through a clearance hole 18 made at the upper-end of the main setoff and screws into a threaded hole 19 provided at the lower end. Thelower end of the set-off is preferably made narrow for a greater lengththan the upper end, thereby lower end as the screw 17 is turned.

A lug 20 formed on the strip 1 1 is pro vided with a hole in the centrewhich preferably has a slot. or channel leading into it as shown at 21.A cord is threaded from end to end of the action, or certain partsthereof, passing through each set-off and adjustably attached fortension to the action standards or rail. This cord takes the place ofthe usual jack-stop. The

channel or slot 21 enables the" cord to be' pressed or forced sidewaysinto the hole instead of being threaded therethrough.

As the jack which is shown by dotted lines in Figure 3 is disengagedfrom the hammerbutt when set-elf it will be prevented from moving toofar from its usual position by the said cord, the position of the lug 20and of the cord being such that the jack can only be set cit to a givenextent and therefore easily drops back to its norn'ial positionimmediately the releasing or partial releasing of the key permits, thuspreventing blocking. The lug may be adj'ustably fitted to the mainset-ell. For instance, as shown in Figure 5, the lug 20 may be formed ona sleeve 22 adapted to slide upon the set-oil and to be fixed inposition thereon by a set screw or otherwise suitably. To avoid noise inworking the aforesaid cord may be covered with -felt or have washers offelt or similar material threaded thereon.

Figure 6 appertains to an improved method of fixing the looped tape orcord to the bridle-wire 23 which is acco1nplished by means of a slot andhole on each side of the wire at 24:. The loop of the cord or tape isput over the wire and pressed or forced sideways into the holes throughthe slots; byinverse method it can also be removed. The bridle-wire 23is shown out from the centre of a metal strip which also forms the check25, the upper part of the bridle-wire being made larger to allow for theholes and also to allow room for the tape of cord to pass freely to thebalanced hammer.

F igure 7 shows a clip or fastening by means of which a woodhammer-shank can be fastened to a metal hammer-butt The clip may be madeof metal tube and may be cut away in the middle as shown at 26 to givegreater holding power on the wood shank, or it can be made by metalstamping and bent round, the joint being brazed or otherwise fixed oroverlapping and held by the screw 27 passing through both ends, or theclip may be cast. The clip is passed over the U-shaped portion 12 of theban mer-butt, the screw 27 acting against the same After the wood-hammershank has been placed in position within the U-shaped portion 12 of thehammer-butt the screw 27 will draw the clip firmly to the wood therebyholding the hammer in place. The clip being of round section, and ofsuch a size that the hammer-shank fits within it, enables the hammer tobe fixed slanting to one side or cast over by'cutting away the wood in aslanting direction on one side in the same manner as in fitting thehammershank into the hole in the hammer-mitt of a wood action.

\Vhat I claim is 1. A. pianotlt'orte action comprising a ha1nmer-buttmade of metal. and having a terwardly extending portion to provide apoint disposed a considerable distance in front of the hinge of the buttand against which point the jack acts, thus increasing the leverage, anda combined metal set off and jack-stop for each section or note oi theaction.

2. A pianot'orte action comprising a hammer-butt made of metal andhaving a ior- \vardly extending portion to provide a point disposed aconsiderable distance in tront oi the hinge of the butt and agaii'istwhich point the jack acts, thus increasing the leverage, and a combinedadjustable metal set-oil and jack-stop for each section or note of theac tion.

3. A pianoforte action comprising a hammer-butt made of metal and havinga iorwardly extending portion to provide a point disposed a considerabledistance in front of the hinge of the butt and against which point thejack acts, thus increasing the leveragaand a combined adjustable metalsetofl? and jack-stop for each section or note of the action andconsisting of a strip of metal which is bent to U-shape, has one of itsarms shaped to actuate and set-oil' the jack, and has its two armsadjustable relatively to one another by means of an adjusting screw.

4. A pianot'orte action comprising a hammar-butt made of metal andhaving a ton wardly extending portion to provide a point disposed aconsiderable distance in front of the hinge of the butt and againstwhich point the jack acts, thus increasing the leverage, a combinedmetal set-off and jack-stop for each section or note of the action, anda perforated lug on said set-oil for holding a check, or guard inposition. i

5. A pianoforte action comprising a han1- mer-butt made of metal andhaving a forwardly extending portion to provide a point disposed atconsiderable distance in front of the hinge of the butt and againstwhich point the jack acts, thus increasing the le verage, combined metalset-oil's and jackstops one for each section or note of the action,perforated lugs on said set-oifs and a cord passing through the seriesof lugs.

6. A pianofortc action comprising a hammer-butt made of: metal andhaving a ton wardly extending portion to provide a point disposed aconsiderable distance in trout of the hinge of the butt and againstwhich point the jack acts, thus increasing the leverage, a combinedmetal setofi and jackstop for each section or note otthe action, and abridle-wire which perfora ted and slotted on both sides for theattachment thereto of a looped tape or cord.

7. A pianoiorte action comprising hammer-butts each made of metal andhaving a forwardly extending, portion to provide a point disposed atconsiderable distance in front of the hinge ofthe butt and against whichpoint the jack acts. thus increasing the leverage, a combined metalsetoit' and jack-stop for each section or note oi the action, andbridle-Wires each of which is perforated and slotted on both sides forthe attachment thereto of a looped tape or cord and is formed integrallywith a jack or check.

8. A pianoforte action comprising hammer-butts each made of metal andhaving a forwardly extending portion to provide a point disposed aconsiderable distance in front of the hinge of the butt and againstwhich point the jack acts, thus increasing the leverage, a combinedmetal set-off and jack-stop for each section or note of the action,bridle-Wires each of which is perforated and slotted on both sides forthe attachment thereto of a looped tape or cord, and atubular metal clipby means of which a W00(l hammer-shank is fastened to the metalha-mmer-butt.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name.

FREDERICK WM. \VAGGETT.

